When the Angel Takes Flight
by Raebie
Summary: When Jean finds an abandoned mutant baby boy, she takes him in. Angel is more powerful than any other mutant she knows. Angel's got a few problems, he can't seem to fit in. It will take teamwork and a very special boy to make him part of the team...Later


**A/N: Wow, my first fanfic! It's a big step for me, hopefully I'll be able to continue it…**

**A few notes:**

**I just saw X men 3 yesterday and fell in love with it. Though, I haven't read the comics, or seen the first 2 (shh) If I get some information (powers, personalities etc) wrong, please let me know. I am in research mode ;-)**

**Disclamier: I don't own X-men. I never will.**

**This is the prologue, when Jean first finds Angel (not the one you know, he'll appear as "Archangel" as a baby)**

_This is Jean's thoughts_

_**This is Angel's thoughts**_

_**This is Xavier's thoughts.**_

Enjoy!

Prologue

12 year old Jean Grey walked down the road, ignoring all of the strange looks she received. _They don't know what it's like to be mutant. Nobody does, for that matter. Not even my friends. My powers can hurt people. Why am I like this way?_

_**Because We're all this way.**_

Jean looked up. What was that? That couldn't be Xavier...but no one could connect with Jean...at least no one that she was aware of..

"Leave me alone!" The cry of a small child echoed through the backalley, cutting into Jean's thoughts.

"Who's there?"

"Save me!"

Jean felt a disturbance, someone like her. She broke off into a run, not caring what was going to happen next. As she approached the scene, a terrible feeling surrounded her. An innocent child was being harmed, and she was the only one who could stop it.

The scene was worse than she imagined. A man held a club above his head, apparently beating up a young child. The child was covered in blood, his entire body covered in red.

"No!" Jean cried. "Stop it, you'll kill him!"

The man paid no attention to Jean, and kept hurting the little boy.

"Why you son of a..." Jean never finished her sentence. Letting her powers flow through her, she hurled the man into the air and flung him against the wall. Running over to the child, she picked him up and ran.

All Jean cared about was getting the little boy to Xavier.

"Hmmm..."

"Hmmm? That's it? Come on professor, what is it?" Jean cried, impatient.

"If you don't know my girl, why don't you find out?"

Jean knew he was referring to her powers. "Can't you just tell me what it is?"

"I'd much rather you figure it out for yourself."

With a sigh, Jean ran her hand over the little boy's head, trying to calm him.

_It's okay, you're safe now._

_**You're not going to hurt me?**_

To her mild surprise, the boy answered, mentally.

_No one's had a connection with me, only Xavier... _the same question she thought earlier sprung back into her head.

_**Am I a no one, then?**_

Yeah. He could definitely understand her.

_Of course not!_

_**I am to everyone else.**_

Jean couldn't hold back her gasp of shock. The computer next to her started to float upwards, and she couldn't bring it back down.

"Jean." Xavier calmed her, patting her hand. "Perhaps I was wrong about letting you into his mind. It's quite disturbing, what he's been through."

"What has he been through?" Jean's voice was quiet.

Xavier sighed. "He's one of us, Jean, a mutant. Quite powerful too. I believe he's at your level."

"That's not what I asked. I can see he's a mutant."

"Jean, my dear, you must understand. I haven't seen a case of child abuse this bad..."

"Because he's a mutant?" The computer next to her slammed into the ceiling.

"Jean, calm down!"

"Sorry..." she relaxed and brought the computer down. She then turned her head and looked at the little boy.

"What's your name? How old are you? Can you speak?" Jean asked all in one breath.

The little boy took his finger out of his mouth, and started to speak, but stopped.

_**Go on, my child. Speak...answer her question.**_

"Yeth..." he said slowly, with a lisp. It was apparent that he hadn't had any proper speaking lessons.

"You can? That's a start." Jean smiled fondly at the child. There was something about him that she'd never seen before. She wasn't sure if it was the mind connection between the two, or the fact he was just a baby, but something attracted her to him. Not in a romantic way, but she cared for him.

Jean tried the next question.

"How old are you?"

The little boy looked at her, as if he was thinking, and made a motion she took as a shrug.

"Dunno...mommy never told me my birthday."

Jean surpressed a feeling of anger.

_What did they do to you?_

"Ev'ryting," he answered aloud. "Got no home, no momma, or a name."

_**Easy, Jean. You can fix this.**_

But could she?

She gently reached over to the baby and stroked him on the shoulder. He was a cute baby, with light blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. He reminded Jean of someone...someone she couldn't quite place. Maybe herself when she was his age, or maybe a close friend.

When she reached to touch his back, he jumped 3 feet in the air.

"NO!" he cried.

Xavier reached out and caught the child.

_**You're allright, my child. We aren't going to hurt you.**_

"We aren't going to hurt you." Jean spoke Xavier's thought aloud.

"Don't touch my back," the little boy whimpered.

"Please. We aren't going to hurt you."

"Tat's what Daddy said before he beat me. Don't touch it!"

_Your dad beat you?_

"Jean!" the professor warned.

Xavier reached out and lightly touched the child's back. The little boy screamed and tried to pull away, but Jean was gently using her powers to keep him there. Xavier looked amazed, and pulled something off of the child's back. Jean gasped and saw...

_A wing?_

"That...that didn't come off, did it?" she asked quietly.

"No, dear Jean. It's still attached."

"S'not my fault...I don't wannit!" the baby screamed.

"Shhh..." Jean stroked his face. "Your wings are beautiful."

"No they're not. They're teh reason I was separated from momma."

_I knew it. Because he was a mutant._

"Jean," Xavier cut into her thoughts. "He doesn't like human interaction."

"I can feel that."

"But we must keep him here...I have a very important task for you."

Jean looked up. "What is it?"

"You will be this boy's teacher, mentor, and personal supporter. We have his powers, Jean. We are the only ones he won't be afraid of. But.."

"But what?"

"You must keep this a secret. If the others find out, it will cause great distress."

_Even from Scott?_

"Even from Scott."

Jean turned her attention to the baby, who looked up at her.

"Are you my new momma?"

Jean grinned, and gently picked him up, not touching his back. Yes, this child was powerful, perhaps even more than her, but he was a sweetie. He meant no harm to the public.

"Yes I am...Angel."

**A/N: So the prologue is done! Keep in mind this is my first fanfic that I've ever published (and probably the only one I'll dare to) and I'll try to update often. But, it is that time of year, I've got graduation after graduation to got to, and my final exams are coming up. But, I'll try! Comments? Suggestions? Mistakes? I'd be happy to hear them! Just please be nice  Please review! Angel gives puppy eyes You can't resist, can you?**

**Well…maybe you can…. but that's okay! Your support and help would be greatly appreciated!**


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